Hepatica americana (Round-lobe Liverleaf)
Today my husband and I visited the nearby North Carolina Botanical Garden (NCBG), a five-minute drive away, to check on the progress of the spring wildflowers. We were last there on February 27 and caught the first of the native spring ephemerals unfolding, Erythronium umbilicatum (Dimpled Trout-lily).
We were looking for trillium and bloodroot, which we found, and we encountered other delights as well that were not visible on our last stop.
The first little beauty, Hepatica americana (Round-lobe Liverleaf), is native to eastern North America.
Hepatica americana (Round-lobe Liverleaf)
Hepatica americana (Round-lobe Liverleaf)
Anemonella thalictroides (Windflower) is native to eastern United States.
Anemonella thalictroides (Windflower)
Anemonella thalictroides (Windflower)
We did find Trillium beginning to emerge. Looking closely we observed flower buds forming on this stand of Trillium stamineum (Twisted Trillium). This one is native to Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi.
Trillium stamineum (Twisted Trillium)
The garden features many other kinds of trillium, including southeastern U.S. native Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy). I cannot tell them apart unless they are obediently close to the plant markers. We will have to check back in a few days, but here are some we saw.
Trillium
Trillium
Trillium
Trillium
This is a flower my husband particularly sought out. Packer aurea (syn. Senecio aureus) (Golden Ragwort) is native to eastern North America.
Packera aurea (syn. Senecio aureus) (Golden Ragwort)
Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot) is beautiful. Only a few flowers are blooming so far, but there should be many more.
Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot)
Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot) -eastern and central North America
I could not resist giving this Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ (Hybrid Witch hazel) some attention. It looked ebullient in the sun’s afternoon glow.
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ (Hybrid Witch hazel)
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ (Hybrid Witch hazel)
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ (Hybrid Witch hazel)
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ (Hybrid Witch hazel)
Podophyllum peltatum (May-apple). Until I saw the pictures later I did not know there were flowers.
Podophyllum peltatum (May-apple) – eastern North America
Podophyllum peltatum (May-apple) – eastern North America
Micranthes virginiensis (Early saxifrage) was flowering near the parking lot. I hope we do not wait too long to visit again to check on the progress of the early spring bloomers.
Micranthes virginiensis (Early saxifrage) -eastern North America
pbmGarden 
You bring back some nice memories. I was a tour guide at the Botanical Gardens for about eight years or so.
Then you must be very familiar with these little treasures from NCBG. Do you often visit Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. I made it there once after the conservatory opened, but it was winter. Would like to return sometime.
I don’t go often enough.
The H. Arnold Promise is amazing, it puts mine to shame! How wonderful to see so many native flowers in one spot, they are all so beautiful. I have just planted a couple of Trillium in the little woodland here, I hope they get established and decide that they like it.
I hope your trillium will appreciate being in your lovely woodland Pauline. I don’t have enough shade for them so it’s nice to have a public garden nearby to see them each year. (Nothing could put your plants to shame; this H. Arnold Promise is a very large specimen. Don’t know how old it is. I couldn’t stop taking pictures of it.)
Some of my real favourites there. Nothing beats woodland blooms in Spring.
Nice to have a gardening hubby. 🙂
Didn’t mean to mislead you–he’s not a hands-on gardener but is very supportive of my efforts though!
We haven’t have time to go to NYBG yet but look forward to the trip. I love Trillium but have no luck planting them in my garden. I just about to give up but what I’ve seen in a new issue of Martha Stewart Living at a newsstand changed my mind. Will try for the last time.
Hope Martha has the magic secret for trillium. I like them but don’t have a good spot here for them, so it’s nice there’s a place close by to view them. Bet NYBG is amazing.
Lovely, lovely post Susie, wildflowers are joyous at any time of year but in the Spring time they are a delight to discover.
Hi Julie, glad you enjoyed these little wildflower treats. I’ve only come to appreciate in the past 5 years or so how special they are.
Such delicate beauty, especially those first two. We have trilliums in our woodland but they hide in fairly inaccessible spots. I transplanted a few closer to the house and this year they are finally blooming.
The leaves and the flowers on the Windflower appear very delicate and fragile. That’s great you were able to transplant the trillium to where you can enjoy them. They really need to be observed up close don’t they?
Thanks for these highlights. I love trillium and am excitedly waiting for the emergence of the two patches that I planted in the autumn. I’ve never seen a photo of the leaves of Hepatica americana before either. They are really lovely.
That hepatica was lovely. Hope your new trillium gives a good show.
We are so fortunate to have this treasure so close!
Bev, it is wonderful.
Even though they are fleeting, I love watching the spring wildflowers bloom….they sing to my heart!
Yes, a bit of woodland joy. I’ve only recently paid attention to them.
There is something so special about the first woodland flowers, isn’t there? I love the delicate shades of those Hepatica. Our wild ones are deep blue here, and are just stirring, but not in bloom yet. Lovely post Susie. 🙂
I love the bloodroot, hepatica, and trillium.The bloodroot and hepatica especially seem so sweet and delicate.
Returned to this garden yesterday and in two days the bloodroot had sprung up all around. So lovely. Trillium is not quite there.
Thanks for a lovely post – such great photos. We are growing Trilliums for the first time this year. We must try Hepaticas soon!
Hope your trilliums flourish Malc. I checked back two days after this post was written but trilliums were not quite open.
How lovely to see so many early treasures. Is this the garden we visited together at the end of my day with you?
Wonderful memory. Yes, that’s the one we rushed around the edges of just at closing time.
Happy memories, yes, very!